Situational Analysis

Lee/Owens says that there are three activities involved in performing a situational analysis: 1) Analyze the job environment, 2) Analyze delivery environment, and 3) Document the results.
Analyzing the job environment is the process where you go to the job site and check out what goes on on an average day. Lee/Owens says you should look for the following factors: Physical and environmental factors, management support, teamwork, empowerment, delegation and control, feedback, work processes and policies, safety issues, and coaching and mentoring.
Analyzing the delivery environment is the process of comparing the training areas to the work areas and determine how the training areas influence transfer of learning. Lee/Owens says you should consider the following factors: Access to training facilities, availability of instructors, coaches, and mentors, and physical and environmental factors.
You should always document your results, so that you can use them for other phases in the needs assessment. They will be a great mind jogger in the future. Lee/Owens says you should, "Be particularly sensitive to employee confidentiality and how results of the analysis are reported."

Lee, W. W., & Owens, D. L. (2004). Multimedia-based instructional design: Computer-based training, web-based training, distance broadcast training, performance-based solutions. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.